Q. Breathing is natural to every living
being, with each being inhaling and exhaling in a particular way.
If mere perception of breath constitutes meditation, then anybody
can become a practitioner. On the other hand, the process of
meditation has been described as being very complex. Is there not
an incongruity here?

Ans. There are many aspects of dhyana---some
are simple, others complex. The process of deep breathing is very
simple. Still many people fail to achieve it in the beginning of
their sadhana, because they are used to taking short breaths.
They have no practice of deep breathing. Even if it is suggested
to them that they should breathe deeply they cannot do it in an
orderly way. It is because their method of breathing is faulty.
Normally, when a man breathes in, his abdomen expands and when he
breathes out, his abdomen contracts. But those who feel their
abdomen contracting while breathing in, should deliberately
change their order of breathing. The sadhaks, whose
breath-movement is right, make good progress. Because of its
complexity in advanced stages, dhyana may be said to be a complex
phenomenon. So, dhyana is both simple as well as complex,
depending on the aspect under consideration. Looked at from the
point of view of relativity, no incongruity is involved here.

Q.What
is the nature of breath-perception and what are its results?

Ans.The
number of breaths taken provides a standard for measuring our
inner affections. 'There are three possible states---natural
breath, slow breath and short breath. All men breathe naturally.
Whether one is conscious of it or not, one is always breathing.
Breath is life. If breathing is stopped even for a little while,
one feels suffocated. Breathing is more important for living than
bread or water. Normally, a man takes 16 or 17 breaths per
minute. If one starts perceiving one's breath, its movement
becomes slower. The number of breaths taken decreases from 16-17
to 12-13. With greater concentration on breathing, this number
declines further to 10 breaths per minute. Still deeper
concentration reduces the number of breaths taken per minute to
five or six. The greater the concentration, the fewer and longer
the breaths taken, till one takes just one breath every minute.
The rate of one breath per minute is indicative of the success of
breath-perception. At this stage, the sadhak's whole
individuality seems to mingle with his breath, till he feels
completely at one with it. Not a single breath comes in or goes
out without the sadhaks being aware of it. To inhale as
well as exhale breath with full conciousness, to concentrate
ones attention wholly on the centre of breathing so as to
be fully integrated with ones breath, culminating in the
breath becoming spontaneously and progresslvely longer and
deeper---this, in fact, is breath perception.

The first result of
breath-perception is mental integration. The second peace of
mind. Breath-perception also results in the increasing and
activation of the vital life-force. The most important
consequence is the awakening of self-confidence. For confidence
is required an abundance of vital power and its activation, which
depends upon slow and steady breathing. The slower the movement
of breath, the deeper it is. Deep breath creates a cycle which is
essential for progress in the field of meditation.

Short breath is indicative of
mental disequilibrium. The shorter the breath, the faster its
movement. The number of such breaths rises to 50-60 per minute.
It happens so in sickness, in negotiating an ascent, and when the
mind is charged with great emotion. In a state of excitement, one
breathes in and out at the rate of 40 breaths per minute.
Overwhelmed by lust, the breath moves at the rate of 60-70.

Q. Is longevity in any way connected with
breath?

Ans. There is no direct connection as such.
But breath is a factor in experiencing the atoms of longevity.
Thus, breath may be said to be indirectly connected with long
life. Short breath consumes more atoms of longevity, whereas slow
breath consumes fewer. The number of atoms is fixed in respect of
each man. But the rate at which these atoms are consumed
determines the length of time; it determines whether a man has a
long or a short life. For example, suppose a man collects
provisions to last for a month. Butif guests arrive
unexpectedly and food has to be prepared for them, the provisions
are exhausted before the monthis over. The same is the
condition about the atoms of longevity. More atoms of long life
are consumed in a comparatively shorter time, with an increase in
the rate of consumption.

Q. The masters of yoga give as much
importance to pranayama asto meditation. What place, if
any, has pranayama in the practice of preksha meditation?

Ans. One of the steps in breath perception is
breath control. Control of breath is a kind of pranayama.
Pranayama has three elements---inhalation, exhalation and kumbhak
i.e. the holding of breath. Kumbhak is the cessation of breathing
and during the practice of breath-control, the breath is slowed
down gradually to the point of extinction. Breath-control is an
important method to ensure peace of mind and to break the
unending cycle of thoughts. But it is hazardous as well.
Therefore, in the initial stages, breath should not be held up
for more than five to seven seconds. A sadhak experiencing
difficulty in holding his breath even for this brief period, may
not attempt breath-cessation at all. There should not be any
forcible stoppage of breath. If somebody wants to experiment with
breath-cessation, he must seek the guidance of a specialist.

Breathing is a small step, but
it is so important as to be indispensable for anyone practising
preksha meditation. Without it, there could be no total
concentration or direct experiencing. To establish contact with
inner consciousness for concentration and development of mental
peace, there is a secret path worth knowing and that is rhythmic
breath.

Q. What is meant by rhythmic breath?

Ans. Just as there is rhythm in music,
similarly there is a rhythm of breathing. The breath which takes
four units of time in its inhalation and is held up for an equal
amount of time and again takes the same amount of time in
exhalation, is called rhythmic breath. If aman practises
it every minute for 20 minutes together, he spontaneously gets
into a state of meditation, and no great effort is required to
continue in that state afterwards. This is a small
beginning--nevertheless an infallible beginning for the maturing
of dhyana.